


Means to an End

by tearbos85



Series: Means to an End [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Crime Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22408459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearbos85/pseuds/tearbos85
Summary: A desperate criminal needs information. He'll do whatever it takes to get it. The BAU team faces a difficult decision that tests their loyalty to each other.
Series: Means to an End [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612645
Comments: 19
Kudos: 79





	1. Opening

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place during the second season, before the season finale. Possible spoilers for Revelations, Jones, Ashes and Dust.

The BAU team was glad to be back at headquarters. It had been a long week, a difficult case. They had started Friday a week ago and worked nonstop since. Each person was looking forward to the weekend. After landing at Quantico, the group reunited with Garcia. They gathered for a few minutes to finalize paperwork and discuss plans for their days off before heading their separate ways.

* * *

Spencer Reid hurried down the stairs of the dimly lit subway station. He couldn't wait to get home; his weekend was already planned out carefully. The subway was crowded as usual, and he had to push his way onto a car with standing room only. He leaned tiredly on the wall, trying to block out the noise, waiting for his stop to come.

Twenty minutes later the train slowed, and Reid stood by the door with the other debarking passengers. Before the doors opened, he felt a hard object pushing his ribcage and a harsh voice whispering in his ear.

"Get off, turn right, and walk to the next platform. I'll be right behind you so don't cause a scene or do anything stupid."

* * *

Emily Prentiss knew something was wrong the moment she opened her apartment door. She'd turned down drinks with Garcia and JJ, anxious to get home and relax a little. She stood in the doorway, her mind raced as she considered her options. 'Should I call for backup? Should I get the manager? Geez, I'm an armed FBI agent. I can handle a burglar!'

After a few moments hesitation, she went in, gun drawn, eyes quickly scanning every object. As she slowly walked down the dark hallway, a tight tripwire caught her ankles. Her head made contact with the tiled floor, and her eyes swam from pain. She struggled to fight unconsciousness; rough hands grabbed her arms and tied them together at the wrists.

* * *

"From the gentleman at the bar." The waiter set two drinks on the table in front of Jennifer Jareau and Penelope Garcia. They glanced over to the well-dressed man smiling at them. JJ didn't normally take drinks from strangers, but she lifted the glass, smiled back, and took a couple of sips so he wouldn't think her rude. Garcia moved to do the same, but JJ quietly stopped her. "Just in case," she said teasingly, but she was serious. Garcia understood, and the two continued the previous conversation.

Half an hour later, JJ regretted taking the drink. She was sure it was either extra strong or drugged. Her head spun, her stomach churned, and her legs didn't want to cooperate. She and Garcia slowly made their way arm in arm across the parking lot to Esther. As Garcia helped JJ into the passenger seat, a gruff voice sounded behind them.

"Don't even think about reaching for the gun. Both of you get out and come with me."

They looked up to see two guns trained on them. Garcia, not being a trained field agent, didn't know how to react. JJ was too out of it to defend them, but she made a valiant effort before taking a knockout hit to the temple. She was lifted and hauled to a vehicle, Garcia herded along behind her with a .44 to her head.

* * *

Derek Morgan awoke with a start, his ringing phone jerking him from sleep. As he groped about for the phone, his eyes strayed to the clock- 4:15. Too early. 'This better be good.' He was surprised to see Reid's number on the caller ID. Usually only Hotch called at this hour. What could Reid want this early in the morning?

"This better be good Reid," he grumpily muttered into the phone.

"Oh it is," a harsh, raspy voice answered him. "You have one hour. Be at 1575 W. 32nd St. Don't be late and don't call the others or you'll be sorry."

"Wait, who is this?" The line was already dead as he yelled his question. 'Damn! What's going on here?' He didn't have any more time to wonder about it. Someone had Reid, and he couldn't risk something happening to him. He leaped out of bed and dressed hurriedly. After taking a minute to Mapquest the address, he was off.

Thirty-five nervous minutes later, Morgan was almost there. The address wasn't far from him, but the early traffic slowed his drive considerably. Finally he was out of it and on a smaller road. He was having trouble concentrating on the road, his mind consumed with worry. Suddenly his car jerked forward violently, and he fought to maintain control. The vehicle continued pushing his. He swerved back and forth across both lanes, avoiding parked cars and dividers, and finally crashing to a stop against a large tree. His head slammed hard into the windshield, leaving him dizzy and off-balance. He leaned heavily on the door as he fumbled with the handle, its sudden opening spilling him out onto the ground. As he struggled to his feet, a man walked over and grabbed him by the neck. A few hits of skull to glass, and Morgan was down without a fight.


	2. Pawns

It was Saturday morning, and Jason Gideon was looking forward to the day. He wanted to avoid anything resembling work, and even had a 'hot date' planned for the evening. After watching the sunrise, he settled on his front porch with a cup of coffee and a long neglected book.

Less than two hours later, his doorbell rang. He was surprised to have a visitor, stunned to have one at 9 am. He warily opened the door to find a UPS delivery driver holding a package.

"Air mail- guaranteed before 10 am," the young man said cheerfully.

"Thanks," he tried to sound polite, but he wasn't expecting any deliveries.

Curiosity overtook his caution as he walked into the living room. A note in a clear sleeve was stuck to the outside, so he started with that. It was an ordinary piece of computer paper with three lines typed in the middle.

'I have something you want back. Be at this address at noon. 1575 W. 32nd St.'

Now alarmed as well as curious, he carefully tore open the soft package and emptied it onto the coffee table. He sucked in a breath when the sweater Reid wore yesterday fell out. His thoughts raced, his heart pounded as he grabbed his cell phone.

"Hotch," he yelled without preamble, "we've got a problem."

* * *

Aaron Hotchner was not happy to hear his cell ring at 9 am. He, Hailey and Jack were watching cartoons on the couch after a pancake breakfast in the back yard. He had enjoyed his morning so far, and didn't want it interrupted for any reason. He sighed deeply, reached for the phone, and then sighed deeper when he saw Gideon on the caller ID.

"What is it?" Hailey asked worriedly.

"Gideon," he muttered to her as he answered the call. "Hotch. What do you need Jason?"

His exasperation quickly turned to fear as he heard Gideon's story. 'Reid's missing! How can this be happening again?'

"Stay where you are. I'll be right over and we'll figure this out. Have you called the others yet? Ok, try to reach them; I'm coming."

He jumped from the couch, kissed the shocked Hailey, and ran upstairs to get dressed.

* * *

Gideon and Hotch arrived at the address ten minutes before noon. Their efforts to contact the rest of the team were unsuccessful, and the tension they felt grew by the minute. Neither knew what to expect or how to behave. They anxiously waited in Gideon's SUV, looking for any activity.

"What do you think is happening?" Hotch asked the question calmly, even though he didn't feel that way.

"I have no idea," Gideon admitted with a heavy sigh. "But I don't like that we can't reach anyone."

They waited in tense silence as ten, and then fifteen minutes passed. Finally a large black car pulled up beside the SUV. A window rolled down, and a face hidden by shadows and sunglasses appeared.

"This isn't our final location. If you'll follow us…"

The window rolled up before they could reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pieces are coming into place, and soon the really drama begins!


	3. Pin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is told from both Gideon and Hotch's POV. Their individual thoughts are in italics. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone.

Gideon pulled his SUV into the parking lot behind the black car, keeping it in sight. The driver remained seated, but the passenger they'd seen before came to Gideon's window. Before he could speak, Gideon cut him off with sharp words.

"What the hell do you want?" A worried, angry tone replaced his normally mild voice. _'I hate playing games with criminals, especially when lives are at risk.'_

"Patience, patience Agent Gideon," the gravelly voice soothed. "You will know the whole story soon. Right now, you both need to come with me."

"We're not going anywhere. What is going on here? Where is Agent Reid?" Hotch interjected loudly.

"You need patience too, Agent Hotchner. I will take you to Agent Reid now, and then you will know what is going on. You have two choices: come with me now and find answers, or go home, pretend you never answered your phones, and let whatever happens to him happen. You decide. I will leave you to discuss it. If you decide to come in, just walk over to my window." With that speech the man returned to his car.

The two agents stared silently at each other, absorbed in their own thoughts.

"I don't like this Jason. I hate playing games with them."

"I agree Aaron but we can't leave him here" _'If he's even here and this isn't a trick.'_ "He's still getting over Georgia. This could…"

Gideon couldn't finish. The thought that this second capture could push Reid over the edge remained unspoken, but Hotch understood the implication.

"I know." _'I hate this. What if this is a trap?_ ' "We have to play along. For now."

The decision made, both men exited and strode over to the car. Wordlessly, the man got out to lead them inside. The building was two stories; an old office building obviously abandoned for some time before its current use. The peeling paint, cracked windows, and overgrown landscape shouted neglect. Inside to the right stood a massive oak desk once used by a secretary. To the left sat two rusted folding chairs. These three items were all that occupied the lobby. Several inches of dust clung to every surface, and cobwebs draped from the ceiling of the dark hallway they walked down. Halfway down the hall the tile ended, the rest unfinished stone floor. The hall dead-ended; the left side leading to a broken elevator, and the right side becoming a large conference room. Hidden behind a creaky metal door directly center of the hall were emergency stairs, which Hotch and Gideon climbed warily.

Upstairs consisted of eight offices and a tiny kitchen. Each office was empty save for a folding chair and a wall with seven small screens hidden behind rotating panels. The only light came from a small, florescent bulb controlled by remote from outside the office. Walls painted dark gray absorbed the minimal light, making the room seem even darker. The lone window in each office was sealed with duct tape, then covered with thick, dark paper to prevent any sun from slipping in. Each office was also equipped with a small camera-also remote controlled-that pointed directly to the folding chair. Unknown to the agents, the cameras were all linked on a closed-circuit system wired to the conference room downstairs.

It was the first of these offices that the man from the car opened the door to, indicating for Gideon and Hotch to enter ahead of him. They did so slowly, hesitantly. Both were horrified to see Reid tied to the folding chair in the center of the room. He was unconscious, the rope around his chest holding him upright. They lost their caution and dashed across the room to their friend. Gideon could swear his heart stopped beating as he gently lifted Reid's head. The young agents eyes were closed, but he appeared uninjured. He glanced at Hotch, who checked Reid's pulse and nodded that he was okay. Suddenly realizing they were alone, Gideon looked toward the door, which was now closed. He raced over to try the handle. _'Locked of course. How could we be so stupid? We walked right into this!'_ Before he could turn to Hotch, a strong, sickening odor filled the room.

"Is that gas?" Hotch groaned, perfectly reflecting Gideon's increasingly bad feeling. Before he could reply, both men were lying unconscious on the floor.


	4. Bind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to all who are still with me. Your wonderful reviews mean a lot to me. I really hope you enjoy this chapter. The events are not sequential. Just assume they are all occurring around the same time.

Penelope glanced worriedly to where JJ was lying on the floor. She'd been too still, too quiet since the vomiting stopped. Whatever the drugs were, they were doing a number on her. Penelope tried several times to talk to her, but all she'd gotten were groans and mumbled speech.' _Damn! I hate being tied up like this. I wish I could help her!'She_ didn't know how long they had been here, or even where "here" was exactly. After being forced into the backseat of that car-with JJ semi-conscious next to her-she'd been blindfolded and gagged. The rough cloths weren't removed until they'd walked her upstairs and tied her to the wretched metal chair that dug uncomfortably into her back. JJ was tossed unceremoniously to the floor, where she managed to crawl toward the wall before the shakes and vomiting overtook her. Penelope guessed it was over three hours since they had been so rudely abducted from the bar. Of course, she couldn't be sure of anything other than that she hated everything about this situation. _'I wish I knew what they want. Why haven't they come back to tell us what's going on? This really sucks!'_

* * *

JJ's world was a kaleidoscope of unidentified shapes and sounds. She vaguely remembered being shoved into a car, then sometime later being painfully thrown onto a hard floor. A familiar voice calling her name occasionally broke through the fog covering her mind. She couldn't respond beyond a raspy mumble. She only knew for sure that she was glad the vomiting finally stopped. It had consumed all of her time and energy for so long that she now reveled in the relative still. _'What did he give me? Where am I?_ ' Those two swirling thoughts were the only coherent ones she could manage for now.

* * *

Emily's head throbbed as here eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. Her tired eyes took in the details of the small room. There weren't many: a covered window, the light bulb, her chair, and the panels she assumed hid screens. That meant a camera was nearby, but she hadn't discovered its location. She remembered about the burglar, about the hands tying her wrist too tightly, and then here. _'But where is here? Who has me and what could they possibly want? I knew I should have gotten someone to check with me!'_ She struggled against the restraints that held her legs, arms and torso immobile. It was no use; she wasn't going anywhere unless whoever held her wanted her to.

* * *

Morgan glared angrily at the camera above him. His own scowl stared back at him in the monitor ahead. He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious, or how long he'd been awake. The only thing he was sure of was how foolish he'd acted. _'What was I thinking running off by myself! It was obviously a trap. I didn't even check it out first. Reid could have lost his phone and someone decided to play a practical joke. Man! How stupid could I be? No one knows where I am, or even to look for me._ ' He again struggled unsuccessfully against his restraints. He looked at his pathetic reflection again and sighed. _'Why am I here? Who set this trap? Where the hell is Reid?'_ The thoughts raced continually through his mind, but no answers came. His anger rose even more, but he would have to wait it out.

* * *

Reid's eyes frantically searched the small office for clues to what was happening. His brain felt weighed down, his thinking slowed to a stroll. The last memories came back slowly:

The gunman, who was joined on the next platform by his larger partner,had roughly handled him then pushed into a large SUV. He estimated the drive took twenty to twenty-one minutes, but from his position he'd been unable to see a thing. They arrived at a large building; he'd been pushed upstairs and into this room. His escape attempt lasted only briefly, ending when he saw the folding chair in the center of the room. It triggered a vivid flashback to his previous captivity, leaving him temporarily paralyzed with fear. He was unable to fight being restrained. The memories died down after a few moments, but his elevated heart rate lingered for some time. His last flashback was so many months ago that he nearly forgot how powerful and realistic they could be. He had been left alone for what had to be hours before the first gunman returned, wearing a smirk that made Reid shift uncomfortably.

"Did you miss me?" he asked sarcastically. Reid just glared at him silently. "Don't you want to know why you're here?"

"I am sure that you will tell me anyway. I can't help you if I don't know, so why don't we just get on with this already?" His anger at being captured again overrode his usual hesitance. He immediately regretted his words, afraid they might serve as a trigger. Instead the gunman just smiled wider and removed a large syringe from behind his back. Reid gasped and stared at him in horror, another flashback threatening to overtake him. He managed to fight off his panic, even as the needle sank into the soft spot above his knee. He winced in pain as the nerves screamed.

"What's in that?" He spoke barely above a whisper as he tried to control his breathing.

"Don't worry Doc. We know all about your little drug issue. This is just a sedative to make you sleep for a while. It's not addictive." _'Why? Why are they giving me this? How can he know about the drugs? Only Gideon knows that I went to rehab, no one else._ '

"Why? What is it for?" He managed to whisper the question as the sedative quickly took affect.

"Well Doc, your friends are coming and we need to give them a little scare. It'll wear off soon. Sleep well." The man grinned and left before Reid could respond. _'What does he mean? Who is coming? Are they coming because of me? Are they ok?'_ The thoughts swirled in his mind until he passed out.

Now fully conscious again, he still had no answers. He could only hope his friends were okay and that whatever was to happen would soon. He didn't know how much patience he had left.

* * *

Hotch felt woozy before he opened his eyes. As he struggled to remember what happened, he slowly looked around the small room, taking in the details silently. The location of the window was the only clue that he wasn't in the same room where he saw Reid. _'Reid! Where is he?_ ' That thought brought his head up quickly-too quickly-and he swayed with dizziness. After a few moments it abated and he could think clearly. _'Focus!Your are the team leader!_ ' Again he searched the room for clues, any sign of where he was. None were available. _'You have got to be in charge. Two other agents are already being held with me; I can't reach the others on the team. I've got to get them out! How could I be so stupid?'_

His eyes landed on the paneled wall. One of the screens was uncovered, and the video feed showed Gideon, tied in the same manner he and Reid were. He was conscious and studying the room also. ' _At least I know he's ok, for now anyway. What could these people want?_ ' Hotch tried to find a way out of his restraints, but whomever tied him up know what to do. There was no possible way to slip the ropes without a knife. He never felt so helpless before, and there was absolutely nothing he could do but wait.


	5. Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Thanks again to all who are reading. This chapter takes place around the same time as the events in the previous chapter. Again, individual character thoughts are in italics.
> 
> P.S.: While I use really names for my characters, no actual person is represented. They are just figures in my over-active imagination. Also, the part about security clearance is totally made up. I apologize to any who have actual knowledge of how these things work.

Gideon opened his eyes quickly, the memories of recent events instantly flooding his mind. _'Hotch! Reid! Where are they?'_ He searched the small room , looking for any clues. A small covered window, a bare light bulb, and the chair he sat tied to were the only details to note. He noticed the panels on the wall-like the ones in the room Reid was in- were all turned around to revel the blank screens. _'This whole situation is odd. Why lure us here? Obviously we have some use, but why all the secrecy?'_ His mind wandered over different possibilities for a while. He couldn't reach any conclusions. _'I wish someone would come back already.'_

Finally, his wait was over. A man he hadn't seen before entered. He was clean-cut, well dressed, pleasant-looking. A Middle Eastern man, though Gideon was unsure of his nationality. Approximately 35-40 years old. He spoke with a slight accent, though it was also unspecific to a particular country.

"I see you finally have awakened. I'll get right to the issue at hand, Agent Gideon. My name is Subhash-that is all you will get. Your government is detaining my brother Suresh as a suspect in terrorist activities. I assure you these allegations are false."

"Then he should have nothing to worry about," Gideon replied calmly.

"Unfortunately, your government does not see things that way. I know for a fact he is being held; what I do not know is the location. That is why I need you, Agent Gideon."

"Why do you think I have access to this information, or that I would share it if I did?"

"I know many things about you, Agent Gideon, and your team. For example, I am aware that recently your team led an investigation that averted a terrorist attack. You and two team members were allowed at Guantanamo Bay to interrogate a suspected terrorist. Therefore, anyone involved in the case must have the necessary Level 3 security clearance for such sensitive information. That is why I need you. I have excellent computer technicians. They found valuable information for me, including what I know about your team. They, unfortunately, have been unable to fake Level 3 clearance. Apparently it is too complex a system to break through without some of the necessary security details. All I need is your Level 3 security access to find the location where my brother is being detained. That is all, not too hard to do, is it Agent Gideon?"

"What do you plan to do with that information?"

"Release my brother from his illegal captivity, of course. He is no criminal and I refuse to tolerate him being treated as such. We can make this very easy. Just allow me to use your security access and you will be free to go as soon as my brother is released. I can even have your tracks covered so that your government will be unable to trace the information back to you."

"Again, why do you think I would willingly provide you with information for you to release a possible terrorist?"

"He is not a terrorist! He is a fighter for the freedom of his people! I believe, Agent Gideon, that you will not help me willingly. I also believe that nothing I do or say to you will coerce you to give me what I need."

"Then why am I here?"

"Two reasons: first I said nothing I do would be to you. What about your team? Do you honestly think you can watch them suffer?"

' _What! The team? Who else is here? It's obvious he has access; what can he do to them? This could be very bad. I have to warn them!'_

"I believe what I do to them will make you willing to comply. Make no mistake; I will do what is necessary. The second reason you are here, Agent Gideon, is for leverage. You may not be willing to comply, but one of them might be persuaded. Having you here adds to their incentive."

_'No way Hotch or Reid will break. They both know the stakes for releasing this information. We will be fine._ '

"I know what you are thinking." He pulled a small remote control from his jacket pocket and turned on one of the screens. Hotch was tied, awake, looking around the room anxiously.

"You are thinking that he will not give up anything either. You may be right. We will test that. But what about him?" With that Subhash clicked on another screen; it showed Reid looking almost the same as when Gideon first saw him, except he was now awake but disoriented.

"He has already been in this situation before, I believe. You might think that makes him strong. How do you know it will not be his downfall? What will he be willing to do to get freed?"

' _He is lying. Reid won't compromise national security. No matter what. He'll be okay._ '

"Or…what about him?" Subhash spoke slowly, wearing a smirk that boiled Gideon's blood. He clicked the remote again, and a screen showed Morgan, who was tied similarly to Reid.

' _What? Morgan! How? Is he ok? He seems ok. No wonder I couldn't reach him.'_

Knowing that one more team member was taken added to Gideon's anxiety.

Morgan was awake, glaring at the camera. He had numerous visible scratches and a large gash on his forehead.

"Can you guarantee that he will not give me what I need? He came rushing over here to save his friend, Agent Reid. How would he feel to see him hurt?" Subhash looked at him with an amused expression.

' _Not this again.'_ Gideon got a sickening feeling of déjà vu. His thoughts were interrupted by another click of the remote. A screen now showed Emily, also tied and conscious, a large bruise covering part of her face.

"What do you think, Agent Gideon? How well do you know her? Is she trustworthy? She manipulated her way to your team. Her loyalty is questionable at best."

_'That's not true. Emily has proven herself. Granted I don't know her well, and she did come mysteriously. Still she is an FBI agent. The Bureau trusts her, so do I.'_

Though he didn't reply, Gideon's distress was apparent on his an even wider grin, Subash clicked the remote again. A screen now showed JJ and Garcia. Garcia was tied in the now-familiar manner. She was conscious but obviously frightened. JJ was on the floor, semi-conscious and ill looking. Gideon felt his heart sink with despair. He had them all.

' _He is obviously enjoying this. He plans to play us against each other, hoping one of us will break. It won't work; it can't! We're all federal agents. We can't give up security information to possible terrorists.'_

"So Agent Gideon, what do you think now? How is your confidence in your team? Can you be certain they will not help me? We can save us all time and pain if you just give me what I need right now."

_'This could go very badly. He's desperate; there's no telling what lengths he would go to through to get what he wants. We all just have to be strong. I hope we can.'_

Gideon took a deep breath, stared Subhash right in the eye, and spoke firmly. "I can't help you."


	6. Push

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have an extra chapter today! It's short, but hopefully still good.

Garcia jumped in surprise when the door suddenly slammed open loudly. The man she now knew as Subhash entered and strode toward her. She couldn't help but flinch as he approached and stopped just in front of her. Having witnessed the exchange between him and Gideon only made her more frightened than she had already been. Gideon's surprised reactions to her teammates only made things worse. How bad off are they? 'He's determined. He has no intention of letting us go until he gets what he wants. This can't be good. I hope I can stay strong.'

Her thoughts were interrupted by his voice. "Ms. Garcia, I know that you know who I am and what my intentions are. I know that you are the computer expert of this group, so out of them all you are the most able to get what I require. We can remain on pleasant terms if you just agree to help me."

"You call abducting and beating and drugging us pleasant?" 'What exactly makes for unpleasant?' Despite her fears, her anger rose. Her voice shook with it as she glanced in JJ's direction and then added, "Does she look like she's been treated 'pleasantly?'"

"No, but I promise you she could be treated even more unpleasantly if necessary so why not spare her and cooperate?"

"I won't help you. I won't use my skills to help a criminal. I don't care what the reason is." She hoped she sounded braver than she felt.

He smirked at her for a moment, and then walked toward the door. Her sigh of relief was short-lived as another man entered the room and quietly conferred with Subhash. The man broke into a large grin.

She watched in horror as the new man strode across the room and lifted JJ up by her throat. He slammed her against the wall so hard her head bounced off violently. Blood ran from her bitten tongue and tears fell from her eyes. The new man tightened his grip and she began making choking sounds, not quite screams or sobs, somewhere in between. Garcia's view became clouded with tears also as she watched JJ sway in the man's grasp. Her voice sounded frightened as she screamed for him to stop. She looked over at Subhash, who was standing a few feet away with a completely unaffected expression. She gave him her best angry glare and yelled between gasping breaths, "Make him stop! He's killing her! Make him stop!"

His expression didn't change except for a slight smirk that came across his lips. He just looked at her as she cried harder. She turned back toward the man and JJ, who was no longer conscious. Her head was down, eyes closed. She didn't appear to be breathing.

"Oh my god!" she screamed. "Let her go! Please!"

After another moment, Subhash stepped toward the man and softly said, "Enough." The man immediately released JJ, who slid to the floor in a heap. He reached down, felt for her pulse, then looked to Subhash and nodded. Subhash returned the nod, and the man left the room. He looked over at Garcia, whose tears were finally beginning to subside. He smiled at her then walked toward her, stopping just short of touching her knees.

"Now you have a small taste of what can happen here if you refuse to cooperate. Why not make this easy on all of you? I can have you home by this time tomorrow." She silently glared at him. "Should I take your silence as a refusal?" More silence. "Okay then. We shall see how long you maintain this ridiculous loyalty."

With that he stalked from the room, not even turning around to acknowledge her muttered profanities.

She looked over at JJ again. She hadn't moved, but Garcia could now see her chest rise and fall shakily. She let out a small sigh of relief, but her fears of what would happen next drowned out her relief. She could feel the tears pricking the corners of her eyes again.


	7. Hanging

Morgan struggled furiously against his bonds. He was livid. The man had hurt JJ and made Penelope cry. Morgan was determined that he would pay at all costs. His anger was so great that he forgot the pain in his head, the numbness in his arms, and the cold fear in his chest. All he could see was Garcia and JJ's tears.

_'When I get out of here, I'll make sure that…_ '

His thoughts paused when he realized that he might not get out of here. ' _Subhash is determined and well prepared to get what he wants. We won't give up, none of us will. So, what will happen to us? He won't keep up forever, and I seriously doubt he'll just let us go. What is his next move?'_

He was sure he didn't want to imagine. Gideon's shocked reaction to seeing the other team members told him they were in bad shape. He hadn't seen Emily, Reid, or Hotch yet, but the image of JJ curled up unconscious was burned into his memory; the video of how she got there played repeatedly in his mind. He struggled again, pulling and tugging and wiggling, trying to loosen any of the ropes. Despite the pain, he twisted his wrists against the flex cuffs, finally stopping in defeat when blood trickled down his hands. He was about to start yelling his frustration to whoever was listening when the door opened, causing him to pause in mid-shout.

"You seem to be a little agitated, Agent Morgan," a now-familiar voice said softly. Morgan shot him a silent glare before unleashing his fury.

"A 'little agitated', no, I am a lot agitated. You abduct my team, hold us hostage, and demand that we turn over classified information. Don't I have a right to be 'agitated'?" He stopped to take a breath, his anger still boiling. Subhash regarded him silently for a moment before speaking.

"Actually Agent Morgan, that is exactly the point. I want you to be agitated. I want you to be angry, upset, furious at what is happening here. Then you will want to stop it by providing what I need."

"Like hell I will. I'm not giving you anything."

"One of you will, so why don't you spare the others further harm and do what I ask?"

"I'm. Not. Giving. You. Anything." He spoke deliberately, firmly.

Subhash sighed deeply. "Why must you be so stubborn?" He got no response. Another deep sigh, then he walked to the door and tapped on it twice. Two large men entered the room and stood behind him. "This is your last chance." Still no response.

One of the men lifted a large serrated knife and quickly walked behind Morgan. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the brutal impact, the searing pain that was sure to follow. Instead, he felt the ropes slacken, the flex cuffs fall to the floor. He looked at Subhash in confusion, too shocked to react for a moment.

"You are determined to get out of here. I am giving you a chance to fight your way out. If you can make it past these two, you will be free to leave."

Morgan seriously doubted that was true, but he couldn't pass up the chance to let out some of his frustration. _'This is probably a bad idea,'_ he thought as he lunged toward the closest of the men. He got one good punch in before the second man reached him and grabbed him by his neck. He kicked out at the first man as he fell backwards. His impact with the floor knocked the wind out of him, but he jumped up quickly anyway, gasping but refusing to give up easily.

He tackled the second man, and they rolled and struggled a few minutes, each trying to get a shot at the other. Morgan landed on top. He grabbed the man's head to slam it against the floor. Before he could though, he was swiftly kicked in the ribs. He heard a sickening snap, felt an excruciating crack as he fell to the floor. He fought both to continue breathing and to keep from screaming in pain. He couldn't defend himself against the onslaught of kicks that assaulted his body. He tried his best to cover his head until the pain finally overtook him and he slipped into unconsciousness again.


	8. Calculate

Hotch ground his teeth together in anger as he watched Morgan get kicked repeatedly. He had put up a good fight, but in his weakened condition he hadn't stood a chance. Hotch's emotions fluctuated between anger and guilt and fear, each one competing for space. There he sat- tied up, defenseless, useless. He was supposed to be the team leader, to protect them, yet there was nothing he could do. Well, correction, there was one thing he could do, but that wasn't a viable option. He couldn't give in to terrorists, no matter what. He had a duty to his country to protect its secrets.

But, he also had a duty to his team members. He didn't really know which duty was more important, but as he watched Morgan slip into unconsciousness, the decision was made for him. One of them would eventually break-that much was certain for Subhash would make sure of it. The question was whom would it be and how much would they each have to take first. As much as he hated himself for even considering it, he felt the only logical choice would be for him to cooperate. The very thought burned him up inside, and his anger boiled again at being forced to this decision.

_I can't believe I am going to do this! But what choice do I have, I can't allow my team members to suffer any more. He's desperate enough that he'll never let us go if we don't help, and even then it's unlikely. I have to do my best to help them and hope some of us survive. He will hear how angry I am about this though. Just wait until he comes in here!_

Hotch sat up as straight as possible despite the ropes. He put on his stern boss face and waited for Subhash. He was sure to come soon.

* * *

Hotch's anger and sternness were just beginning to fade when the door opened. Subhash and one of the men he'd seen with Morgan entered. The other man stayed near the door while Subhash approached Hotch with an almost matching stern, emotionless expression.

"Agent Aaron Hotchner, it is good to finally be able to speak with you personally." Subhash's voice was falsely warm.

Hotch didn't even acknowledge his words. He continued to look him firmly in the eye but remained silent.

"You are not a very talkative group, except for your Agent Morgan. He has no trouble saying what is on his mind." When Hotch still didn't respond he continued speaking. "I know how it feels to be in your position, Agent Hotchner. I too am the leader of a fine team. I too know the responsibility of that position. I fully understand the need to guide them, to protect them no matter the cost. Which is why, Agent Hotchner, I have been convinced all along that you will be the one to help me. No successful, strong leader I have met would allow his team to suffer when it is within his ability to change the situation. I have followed and studied your team. I believe you to be among the great leaders I am acquainted with, and I believe you will make the wise decision as team leader."

Hotch hardened his glare and spoke in a cold, firm voice. "I will not play into your guilt trip. I am a good leader, but I will not support any terrorist activity."

Subhash's eyes flashed red and he stepped closer to Hotch. His voice rose in anger. "We are not terrorists! We are fighters for the freedoms of our country and its people. Your narrow-minded, self-righteous nation cannot see what we are trying to accomplish for the good of our people!"

The words were nearly spat in Hotch's face but he didn't even blink. He found the rather cliche rant almost amusing. Hotch barely suppressed a laugh, knowing it wouldn't help the situation. He decided it best not to respond for the moment. Subhash likely had more to say anyway.

"Why must you all be so stubborn? This is a very simple request. You all could have been home hours ago if you would just cooperate. I anticipated some difficulty with this, but I made the mistaken assumption that one of you would be reasonable. I intended to avoid unnecessary measures, but apparently I will have to be firmer in my methods of persuasion."

_Well this isn't good. I have no doubt he is experience at this sort of thing. There is no telling what he is capable of doing to us. Now I will have to go through with my decision for the good of my team._

Though his brain had made the decision to speak up, his mouth refused to form the necessary words. Giving in went against everything he stood for, everything he believed in, but it had to be done.

Before he could speak to say he would help, the man near the door approached him holding a knife. The blade was flat and wide, at least a foot in length. The handle appeared to be carved of copper with intricate etchings circling it. Under another circumstance Hotch would have thought it was beautiful. However, it was anything but beautiful as it arched through the air and plunged deep into his upper left thigh. The piercing pain of ripping skin and muscle made him gasp, but he refused to release the scream threatening to explode from his lungs. He was surprised to find that the removal of the knife was worse, as the man had to pull forcefully to free the blade from his femur. The warm blood flowing down his leg tickled and itched unpleasantly. He concentrated his effort on controlling his breathing and blocking out the pain as much as possible. It took a few moments for him to realize Subhash was talking again.

"...So why not cooperate with me? Do you want them to suffer the same way?"

Through his fog of pain, his anger, stubborn pride, and sense of duty won out. He wouldn't give in to this man, no matter what. He could take this. He'd had worse- much worse. His father had beaten him almost every day, and he had survived. He had been injured more than once on the job, and had been on both sides of numerous hostage situations. He could take this. He lifted his eyes to meet Subhash and focused all his energy into his words.

"I told you I wouldn't help you. You won't persuade me otherwise. Feel free to harm me however you wish but I won't change my mind."

_I hope I sounded more confident than I feel. As long as he believes it..._

Subhash's eyes flashed again, but his expression didn't change. He stared back at Hotch for a moment, and then turned to face his assistant. He nodded slightly to him then headed for the door. The man smirked at Hotch and raised the blood-covered knife. Hotch managed not to flinch as the knife lowered quickly toward him again. The searing pain of the blade entering his left shoulder near his collarbone nearly knocked him unconscious. Spots and squiggles danced in his vision as he looked at the grinning man with the knife. He fought valiantly to remain awake as blood ran down his chest and back, sending chills down his spine. He felt dizzy and nauseous from blood loss, and as he felt himself slip into darkness, he wondered if there was even a slight possibility of surviving.

_Probably not. Well, damn, if I'm going to die anyway I should have cooperated. Then maybe the others would be safe. I hope they won't hate me for this..._

His eyes slid closed and his head dropped to his chest.


	9. Undermine

Gideon felt his stomach clench in pain. His head throbbed with anxiety, and nausea rose in his throat at seeing the amount of blood Hotch was losing. He didn't look good at all, and his wounds remained untended, lessening his chances for survival even further. It took every ounce of willpower Gideon had to resist pulling against the ropes holding him, knowing it would be useless to waste his energy.

He wracked his brain trying to come up with a plan to get out of this situation, but his panic overrode his clear thinking ability. The sight of his team members suffering was too much. He'd been through this twice already: first with his team in Boston, then with Reid in Georgia. Both times the guilt nearly ate him alive. The psychological trauma of watching his team members die, and knowing he caused their deaths, sent him reeling into a "major depressive episode" as Reid would put it. He didn't think he'd ever recover, and he definitely never saw a return to the BAU. But, somehow, he managed to pull through and even join Hotch's team as the senior psych. Just when he felt recovered from the PTSD from the Boston case, Reid, his protege, was kidnapped, and he felt a whole new level of trauma. Watching him die onscreen, and then seeing his subsequent brief slid into drug addiction nearly drove him to early retirement. He'd helped Reid conquer his problem, but Gideon still had flashes of guilt every time Reid refuse to take even mild painkillers or had a now-infrequent flashback. He knew if they didn't all survive this he wouldn't be able to cope.

He was so focused on trying to mentally stop Hotch's blood flow that he didn't hear the door open. It wasn't until he heard a quiet, spiteful laugh that he realized Subhash was standing right behind his chair.

"How do you like Agent Hotchner's outfit?" He asked snidely, referring to the red staining almost the entire left side of Hotch's body. "I thought the color would suit him well. It appears I was right."

Gideon took a few deep breaths, swallowed hard to push down the rising bile, and tried to sound calm as he spoke.

"Well, you were wrong about him giving you any information. Now you've killed him and he won't be able to help you. Do you really think we will help you after seeing our team leader killed?" He couldn't stop the anger and fear from trickling into his voice. "You certainly aren't giving us a good reason to want to do anything for you."

I hope this doesn't backfire. Talking tough with UNSUBs usually makes them slip up or give up some helpful information. I'm not so sure it'll work this time. But what else can I do?

"That insolent attitude has not helped you thus far, Agent Gideon. It will not work for you now. You also do not speak for the entire team. I informed you before that I do not intend to force you to give up anything. You are merely here as leverage to be used to my advantage if necessary. It is your team members that I intend to break."

Subhash paused in his speech to walk closer to the screens. He ran his fingers over the pictures of the unconscious team members, smiling wickedly at them.

"There are only two left, Agent Gideon." He pointed at the screens showing Prentiss, then moved over to the one showing Reid. "One of them will break, I can promise you that. I am willing to use every tool at my disposal. Which of them do you think it will be?"

Neither of them! You can't break them. They are both too good at what they do to give in to this sick game.

He hoped he was right. "They won't help you."

A small smirk was his response. "Still so confident… I admire your trust in your team. However, I am guaranteeing that one of them will help me. I will give you the choice. Which one should I start with first? Who do you think will be easier for me to break?"

Gideon was lost for words. He didn't want Subhash near either one of his agents. He was particularly worried about Reid though. Subhash had struck a nerve earlier when he said that Reid's previous experience could be his downfall this time. That knowledge led him to the only decision he could make. It has to be Reid next. Subhash isn't too angry right now, and maybe if Reid can stay strong, he'll move on to Emily before he takes his anger out on Reid. He berated himself for wishing Emily to bare the brunt of Subhash's anger, but he felt confident she could handle it. He really wanted to keep some pressure off of Reid, just in case.

"Go to Dr. Reid next." He hoped he sounded firm, yet hesitant enough that Subhash would think he didn't want that-which should make him do exactly what Gideon wanted. But that was all speculation as he didn't really know what Subhash would do.

"Oh?" A slightly surprised, yet amused, tone accompanied by another smirk from Subhash. "You are worried about him then? You are no longer confident that he will not break?"

Damn it! That didn't work as planned!

"Well then Agent Gideon, I think I shall go pay Agent Prentiss a visit now. She has been waiting for quite some time." Gideon wanted to punch the smug smile off of his face.

Subhash turned to leave, and then turned to face Gideon again.

"Just so you are aware, Agent Gideon, I did not come here to change your mind or force your hand. I just wanted to make sure that you realize you could have prevent what is about to happen. One of them will break Agent Gideon, and you will watch every second knowing that you are to blame for this."

No! I'm not at fault here! I didn't cause this! Oh, what is he going to do?

"My agents will be fine. They are strong, and loyal, and well-trained. They won't help you." The voice of a confidence he didn't actually feel.

"You will see." With those small but frightening words, Subhash left the room without looking at Gideon again.

I can't believe this is happening! Why couldn't I stop this? What have I done?

Gideon fixed his eyes on the screens in front of him, anxiously watching for Subhash to enter into the picture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too boring. I know there wasn't much action (any action), but I hope the next chapters will make up for that fact. Thanks!


	10. Swindle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was severely lacking in humor so I tried to add bits in this chapter. I see Emily's character as the one who really would find irony in this situation, and I hope you all agree. Please let me know either way. It won't all be fun and games though! Finally, I'm so thrilled about the positive response to the last chapter. I was afraid having a purely psychological chapter would be boring, but everyone else disagreed. Thank you for that, as that is the main focus of this story. On that note, here we go!

**Swindle**

Emily stared at the blank screens in front of her, wanted them to turn on and provide some distraction from the excruciating boredom. She knew she'd been here- where ever here was _-_ for hours now; she had no idea how many hours though. The whole situation was very puzzling.

_Why abduct me, tie me up, and then just leave me? They must want something from me, or for me, so why haven't I seen or heard anyone?_

The most frustrating part was that unless an important case had come up, no one on her team would miss her until late Monday morning. Then there was no telling how long it would take for them to find her. So she just had to sit, and wait, and wonder. The fluctuation between extreme boredom and intense anxiety was starting to drive her a little crazy.

_Is this how Reid felt when Tobias had him? Scratch that, I'm sure he never felt bored. Plus, he knew who he was dealing with and what he was capable of doing. I'm clueless here._

She'd played every mind game she could think of to entertain her brain: profiling her abductors (that ended quickly as she had no information to go on), reciting passages from her favorite books, singing (softly) any song she could remember the words to, and even trying to see how many of Reid's useless trivia facts she could remember. Now, in her desperation, she was counting ceiling tiles-for the third time (yet somehow the number never changed-strange).

The door opening was so anticipated yet so unexpected that she nearly jumped up with her chair. She turned to find a handsome, well-dressed Middle Eastern man entering the room with another man who was obviously a servant or assistant to the first man. Despite her extensive knowledge of Middle Eastern countries, she was unable to place his features or accent to a particular country.

"Good evening Agent Prentiss." He spoke politely and enthusiastically.

_He knows my name! How? Why does he know me? Wait-did he say evening? That means I've been here a whole day!_

"Good evening yourself mister…" she spoke politely also, but she didn't attempt to hide the sarcasm that seeped into her tone.

He responded with a brilliant smile but no words. He just stared at her in silence. After a moment, she shifted in her chair, trying to shake the discomfort she felt under his gaze. It took a concerted effort to keep looking him in the eye when she really wanted to turn away.

_Keep looking at him. He has to know that I'm not weak, that I'm not afraid._

Finally his smile turned into a strange smirk and he looked away briefly. She let out a deep breath of relief, but her tension only increased as she wondered what he would do.

"My name is not important right now, Emily." He placed a firm emphasis on her first name. Hearing him say it made her cringe inwardly for some reason she couldn't identify yet. "What is important is what I know about you and why you are here."

_Don't play his game. Make him tell you. Don't ask questions or say what he wants to hear._

Her silence caused him to pause only briefly before continuing. "You refuse to speak to me? That is a shame for I am sure we could have very fascinating conversations. You are very intelligent and experienced. I am sure you have many interesting stories to tell."

He walked closer to her. She smelled a faint hint of expensive cologne, and at this close range she could see that his suit was high quality.

_Geez, where does this guy get his money?_ _Oil?_ _Stock Market?_ _Terrorism?_ _Judging from what I know so far, terrorism is most likely. But what could that have to do with me?_

He reached out and grabbed her chin firmly. She shook her head to remove his hand, but he gripped tighter. She decided to save her resistance for a time when it might do her some good.

"You are also quite beautiful," he said as he leaned closer to her. "A woman like you, with beauty and brains, is just what I have been looking for. My organization would benefit greatly from you."

_Organization?_ _Definitely a terrorist then._ _So I'm here to join his group? That isn't how recruitment for these types of organizations works. Something else must be going on._

She could feel his hot breath on her face as she continued to stare into dark eyes. In another situation she might be thinking about how pretty his eyes were, or how nice his lips looked. But now, she tried to push down her rising anxiety. She swallowed hard, and then decided to break her vow of silence.

"What kind of organization do you have?"

The gorgeous smile reappeared. "A very wealthy organization, one that takes financial care of its members."

_Well that's helpful._

"I am sure that a woman of your talent and skill would be greatly rewarded." He continued holding her chin, but the fingers of his other hand started gliding through her silky, dark hair.

"What talent would that be?" She hoped she sounded calmer than she felt. Her heart rate increased and the room suddenly felt stuffy.

"Fluent in Arabic, familiar with several Middle Eastern countries, knowledgeable of inner workings of your government, connected to officials that can be influenced in your favor, and trained to handle weapons, you are perfect for joining us."

_How on earth does he know all of that? How does he know about_ _my parents? Is that why I'm here:_ _he thinks I can get them to do something?_ _Slim chance for that ._

"What would you do with all of those things?" She might as well get as much information as possible so she could have an idea about what was happening.

"The details can be discussed later. Although I am certain you will not be able to resist joining, I am rather pressed for time now. I need one thing from you, and then you will be free to either join us or return to your regular life."

_Yeah, like that's going to happen. They never just let you go._

"What is it that you need?" _Not that you're going to get it, but I might as well know what you want._

"I require the use of your Level 3 security clearance. I already know that you have it, so do not try to deny it. I just need to find a location, an address, and that will be the end of your duty here. You do not even have to find it yourself; you can just inform my technicians of the necessary codes. That is not asking too much, is it?"

_No, that's not too much. You just want me to betray my county and give you information you obviously aren't supposed to have._

"What is it that you need to know?"

"My brother, Suresh, is being detained by your government. They deny this of course, but nonetheless I need to know his location. I intend to release him from custody."

"Oh." She had no idea of how else to respond. This man wanted to release a potential terrorist, and he expected her to help.

_Come on, get it together! Tell him you can't help him! No way will you allow this! Come on, just say it!_

Her mouth refused to obey the command though, and the feeling of his fingers running down the side of her face and neck prevented further thought on the matter.

"So you see it is very simple: you provide the information I need, then you can join our group and become wealthy and powerful beyond your imagination." His hand continued its wandering, moving down her neck to her shoulder, down her arm and back up.

"I…" she swallowed hard again, closed her eyes briefly, and took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't help you. I won't."

His fingers suddenly pulled roughly on her hair, forcing her head back. His eyes blazed with anger and he gripped her jaw harder.

"Apparently I gave you more credit than you deserve. I thought you would be smart enough to know what the correct choice would be. Obviously I was wrong." He pulled on her hair again, then shoved her head back before letting go and stalking angrily across the room toward the screens on the wall. "Obviously they were wrong about you also."

He pulled a small remote from his jacket pocket and turned on six of the screens. Her team members appeared.

_Oh god! They're all here too? I guess there goes my chance for rescue._ She looked closer. _Is Hotch_ _dead?! Oh god!_

"What….what do you mean?" She couldn't hide the anxiety in her voice.

"They were all counting on you to get them out of here. That is why I came to you last; they all said you would be the one to help me. You can see where their refusal to help me got them, but they all knew you would save them. Apparently, you will not save them, so their trust in you was misplaced. It is such a shame."

_They thought I would give up information?_ _All of them?_ _No, he's lying. I know he's lying. They would never think that….would they? Were they really hoping I would save them?_

"It is a shame to think that the first time your team members actually trust you, you betray their trust. It seems they were correct not to trust you from the beginning."

"They do trust me. I know they do." _Don't I know that? Of course they trust me? Why wouldn't they trust me? I've never given them a reason not to trust me._

"Really?" he spoke in a skeptical tone with one eyebrow raised in surprise. "You show up one day, unannounced, with no paperwork or authorization to show that you belong in the BAU. Yes, they did allow you to stay, but if you think they were not suspicious then you are fooling yourself. They may not show it, but they do not trust you Emily."

_That isn't true! They know that it was just a mix-up. Hotch even spoke to the Director about it and he knows my parents didn't get involved. I've proven myself._ _They have to trust me! How could they not trust me?_

"Why not show them that they were wrong about you? Show them that you can be trusted to do the right thing when necessary, even when it is difficult. Show them that finally putting their trust in you in their hour of crisis was a wise idea." Each time he said "them," he pointed to another team member.

_No, I can't do this! They wouldn't really want me to do this would they?_ She studied her team members: some bleeding, some unconscious, some frightened. Maybe they really did need her help. Maybe they wanted her to end this for them.

"Come on, Emily, be smart. What sense is there in letting them continue to suffer unnecessarily? They need help. They need you, Emily."

_Oh god, I can't do this! I_ _can't_ _do this! Why would they put this on me?_ She felt herself starting to hyperventilate; she closed her eyes to shut out the view of her team members and tried to breathe deeply.

"They are waiting, Emily. They are dying, Emily. They need you. No one else can stop this but you."

_No!_

"I…I can't…I can't help you. I can't do it." Her voice clearly showed her fear and defeat.

He strode across the room, lifted her head forcefully, and slapped her hard across the cheek. His hand left bright red finger marks on her pale skin. His eyes blazed with anger, and his breathing was ragged with fury.

"Stupid woman! To think, I wanted a useless idiot to join my organization. I had wonderful ideas for you, but now I realize I made a mistake!"

He slapped her in his rage and raised his hand to do it again, but stopped when he saw the fear and pain shimmering in her eyes. He let out a low growl of anger then he turned away from her. As he left, he called to her over his shoulder.

"Now you are as useless to me as you are to them. You will have to live with the knowledge that you did nothing, and your conscience will punish you when you see the results of your stupidity!"

With those words the door slammed shut. Emily flinched at the loud noise and wiped the tears that were spilling from the edges of her eyes. She stared at the images on the screen, of her team members hurt and afraid. Everything else was blocked from her thoughts as her mind screamed the same thing over and over:

_You caused this. This is your fault. Look what you've done._

_Useless._


	11. Sacrifice

Reid couldn't dispel the feeling of anxiety that rose in his chest as the door opened. He searched the men entering the room for syringes, fearful that he'd be drugged again. His head was finally cleared from the last time, and he wanted to keep his thoughts unclouded for whatever was going to happen. He couldn't see any signs of drugs, but he glimpsed a knife on one man's belt. There were traces of what appeared to be blood at the base of the handle.

_Oh, this can't be good! Whose blood is that? What are they planning to do? Who are they anyway?_

The man in front, who seemed to be the leader, walked close to Reid and looked him directly in the eyes. Reid tried hard to stay calm and meet his gaze without flinching. The man didn't speak at first; he just continued looking at- studying-Reid silently. He gulped, trying to swallow his fear. The tension was thick as Reid waited to see what would happen. Finally, the man took a step back and broke eye contact.

"You seem to be a little nervous, Doctor Reid." It wasn't a question, merely a simply uttered statement of fact.

_No kidding. I wonder why that could be._

"I imagine that you have the right to be. After all, you have been sitting here for a few days now, wondering about your friends, hoping they will come to save you…"

_Days? It can't have been days already, can it? How long was I drugged? See-this is exactly why I stay away from drugs now! They do things to your mind!_

"…However, your hopes are unfounded Doctor. They have no idea where you are; in fact, your team members are not even looking for you. They have more important matters to concern them at the moment."

_More important than finding me, even after a few days? Surely they miss me by now. There's no way they aren't looking!_

"It is true, Agent Reid. They are all busy, so it depends on you to provide me with the assistance I need. It is a very simple thing that I require, and after you help me you can return to your team before they realize you are gone. You wouldn't want them to panic once they realize that, once again, you are missing. Spare them the pain, Doctor."

"What is it that you want from me?" _I might as well find out what he wants before I insist that I won't help. If it required kidnapping me, I'm sure I won't be willing to cooperate._

"All I require is the use of your Level 3 Security Clearance, Doctor Reid. Before you deny that you have it, you should know that I am well-informed about you and your team. I know things that you yourself might not know so do not try to outwit me Doctor"

_Well this complicates things._ "Why do you need my Security Clearance?" He hoped he sounded tougher that he actually felt at that moment.

"I need to find a location of the detention camp where my brother Suresh is being held by your government, despite their denials to the contrary."

_Detention camp…terrorists...He wants me to help find a terrorist?_

"I can't give you that information. I wouldn't even know where to look." He tried to go for the innocent routine, hoping he sounded genuine enough to be believable.

"Do not toy with me, Doctor Reid! I do not need you to find it; my technicians can do that. All I need is your access! You will do well to not make me ask again."

_I don't recall you ever_ _asking_ _to begin with._

"I'm sorry, but I can't." This was becoming more familiar by the minute-being held hostage by an angry, vengeful UNSUB demanding things from him that he couldn't give.

"You can and you will!" Subhash was finding his anger hard to control now. If this young agent did not crack, he would have to start over, and he had no intention of doing that. He strode angrily over to the chair and grabbed Reid roughly by the shoulders, shaking him furiously against the ropes holding him in place.

Reid closed his eyes against the onslaught, bit his lips to keep from whimpering or screaming, and focused on keeping himself from panicking. He was released abruptly; the sudden inertia acting on him made him dizzy. He flinched as Subhash backed up a few steps and raised his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. Before he could think about what would happen, Subhash landed a solid punch to his temple. He couldn't suppress the gasp of pain and shock that escaped his lips. He didn't get a chance to recover before a vicious flashback assaulted him. It was now Charles in front of him, fists raised to deliver another powerful blow. His breath caught as his panic rose drastically and the force of the painful memories sent him reeling.

Subhash paused in mid-strike when he noticed the sudden terror in Reid's eyes and the somewhat detached expression he wore. He smiled, for this was what he had been hoping for all along. He had seen enough of the videos from Reid's abduction to have a few ideas about how to trigger flashbacks in the young agent. They apparently worked even better than he had expected. He thought that it would take a little more effort. He was pleasantly surprised.

Reid finally pulled himself out of the horror his mind was replaying and noticed Subhash watching him with a satisfied smile. He suddenly realized that Subhash hadn't been joking when he said he was well-informed. He knew exactly what to do to cause the most pain and torment for Reid. That knowledge sent chills of terror down his spine as he wondered what would come next.

Subhash stood back a few feet and watched the various emotions pass across Reid's face. He waited a few moments until Reid returned to the present before speaking.

"What seems to be the trouble Doctor Reid?" Reid just looked at him with scared, angry eyes. "Having a problem with some troublesome memories are you? You are not thinking about escaping with your drugs again, are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied, but his voice betrayed his lie. _How does he know that?_

"Well I am sure that will change," he responded with a smirk. "I told you that it would be good if you would help me without me asking again. I will give you another chance to comply before I resort to more drastic measures."

"I already told you. I won't help you."

"Pity, I was hoping you would choose the easy route. But, I do always enjoy doing things the hard way." He motioned to the men standing near the doorway to come closer.

"Doctor Reid, I would like to introduce you to Saidi and Jamil. They are my most trusted and experienced associates. They have proven themselves most valuable and effective to my operations. That reminds me: I never told you my name. I am Subhash. Now that we are acquainted, I will tell you that Saidi and Jamil will make you cooperate. How hard they have to work depends entirely on you. The choice is yours."

Reid swallowed a lump of fear and braced himself for what could be coming. He looked Subhash in the eye and spoke firmly. "I won't help you. Do whatever it is you have planned."

Subhash looked simultaneously delighted and furious. "Why do you all have to be so difficult? It is a simple demand, and you could be home. But no, instead you continue to refuse."

As he spoke, he motioned for Jamil to come closer. Reid didn't notice the movement until Jamil was behind him gripping his hair tightly. He bit his tongue so he wouldn't gasp with pain.

Suddenly a cold, hard pressure was against his throat just under his chin. He couldn't see the blade of the knife the way his head was positioned, but he could easily see the handle and the dried smears of blood clinging to it.

He could feel the blade pressing lightly but firmly into his skin. Subhash was inches from his face, glaring at him with angry, evil eyes. "I did not intend to harm you Doctor, but I shall do what I must to get what I want. Obviously I will not kill you yet, but I can certainly make you wish for death. Now be a good child and tell me what I want to hear." Reid's eyes filled with frightened tears, but he refused to let them fall.

He shook his head slightly so as not to disturb the knife cutting into him. Subhash let out a grunt of disappointment and anger. The knife pressed harder, and Reid could feel warm drops of blood sliding down his throat and falling onto his chest in itchy, tickling streams. He carefully took deep breaths, trying to keep still and calm so the blade wouldn't do anymore damage. Again he shook his carefully, and looked firmly at Subhash as he did.

Subhash straightened up suddenly, and took a few steps away from Reid, fuming. "Do you know whose blood is on that knife Doctor?" He yelled furiously at Reid. He did not wait for an answer. Instead he pulled out a small remote and turned on a screen in front of Reid. The scene showed Hotch being stabbed twice, then passing out from blood loss. The images made Reid's head swim with pain and worry and guilt. He suddenly felt responsible for what happened because of his refusal to help.

_But I didn't know that he had Hotch! This can't be my fault!-Wait-that means the team will be looking for both of us! Maybe we have a chance!_

"Before you get your hopes up Doctor, you should know that you have absolutely no chance of being rescued." As he spoke, he clicked on another screen, then another, then another. Hotch, Morgan, and JJ were unconscious. Gideon, Garcia, and Emily were angry and scared.

His team members all looked a little worse for the wear, and he wondered how long they had been here. Despair settled in him as he realized their chances of escape were slim. It was obvious that Subhash would get them to cooperate or kill them one by one.

Three team members didn't look good already, and he had no idea what the others had endured. Rage and guilt battled for space in his mind as he raced to consider all the options. His genius mind quickly narrowed them down to two, and neither was good.

_I've got to hold out as long as possible. Maybe I can come up with a better idea if I have more time..._

Before he could finish his thought, Subhash caught his attention by tapping on a screen with the remote. Reid glanced from the screen showing JJ and Garcia, to Subhash, then back again.

He felt his stomach sink as he realized things were going to get worse quicker than he had previously hoped. Subhash ran his finger over the image of JJ's inert form, letting out a deep sigh as he did so. "So beautiful, don't you agree Doctor? I believe the two of you dated a few times in the past is that correct?" When Reid didn't respond he continued. "What about the other blond here? I believe you also have a 'special' relationship with her? Almost like siblings I believe. It would be a shame for your "sister" to suffer when you could have prevented it."

"Don't touch her! They don't have to be involved in this! Deal with me." He hoped his fear wasn't as apparent as he felt it was. Subhash smiled-that smirk Reid was getting sick of-and continued staring at the screen.

"Oh, I am afraid it does not work that way Doctor. I told you I am willing to do what is necessary. As I mentioned previously, I do not intend to kill you as that would defeat my purpose here. But, I made no promises about any of your friends. I will hurt them, Doctor. I have hurt them already. I will continue hurting them until I get what I want from you! I promised your boss that you would be the one to help me and free them. If you do not, then none of you will leave here. Time is running out Doctor. These two..." he indicated Morgan and Hotch on the screen "do not have much time left. Do you want to risk their survival?"

_Why me? Why is it always me that has to make the decision? I can't do this, no matter what. I can't. But I don't think I can watch them be hurt either. What the hell am I going to do?_

His indecision was apparent on his face. Subhash took the opportunity to deliver his final blow while the young agent was vulnerable.

"Well Doctor, since you obviously still need convincing, I shall speed up the process." He motioned to Saidi, who left the room quickly. The silence in the room was deafening as Reid waited in agony to see what would happen.

One minute passed-nothing happened.

Reid's heart tried to jump out of his chest.

Two minutes.

Though there wasn't a clock in the room, Reid could swear he heard the seconds ticking by painfully slow.

Three minutes.

Reid nearly screamed with frustration and worry.

Just as he was about to address Subhash, he noticed movement on one of the screens-JJ and Garcia's room.

Saidi entered, holding a knife similar to the one Jamil was still holding to his throat. He saw Garcia jump in surprise, and then fear filled her eyes as he slowly, menacingly walked toward her. He stopped nearly a foot away, looked at the knife, then at JJ, then at Garcia, then back to the knife again as if deciding who to hurt first.

Reid swallowed hard; bile flooded his chest and throat, threatening to come out any second. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think as fear, anger, and guilt took over

_'I can't let this happen. I'm the only one who can stop this. What am I thinking? No! I can't give in!_

He felt dizzy, the pressure and confusion weighting on him. He nearly fainted when Saidi grabbed Garcia roughly by her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her throat to his blade. As Saidi raised his arm back to swing the knife, Reid's brain made the decision for him.

"Stop! Wait! I'll help you! I'll help you just don't hurt her! Please!"

Subhash touched a button on the remote, his smile large and genuine now. A light flashed in Garcia's room, and Saidi paused in mid-swing. He waited for a moment, saw the light flash again, and then let go of Garcia and walked toward the door. Subhash approached Reid with a triumphant smile, chuckling as he saw a small tear slip from one eye. The sweet taste of his success was intoxicating, but he had to be sure.

He knelt down to look Reid in the eye, searching for any indecision, any hesitation, any defiance.

He saw only misery and pain.

Perfect.

He stood and nodded to Jamil, who removed the knife from Reid's throat.

"Sorry for this Doctor, but I have to be sure you do not try to trick me."

The handle of the knife slammed into Reid's temple, rendering him unconscious before he could process the words. Saidi entered the room and assisted Jamil in untying Reid. The two large men then lifted the slight young agent and carried him from the room.

Subhash followed them slowly, pausing to cast a smug, satisfied look at the camera broadcasting the event.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what we've been building towards the whole time. I hope everyone enjoys the suspense!


	12. Critical Position

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm deeply sorry for leaving you hanging at such a crucial moment. But as a consolation, this chapter is the longest one so far. It also answers at least one important question. I hope that makes up for the long delay.
> 
> As always, thanks to those who have stuck with this adventure. You guys are awesome.

Gideon stared in shock at the now-empty room on the screen, silently hoping that the previous events hadn't occurred. He refused to believe that Reid agreed to help Subhash; there had to be some kind of trick happening.

_He must have a plan in mind. There's no way he would just give in-is there?_

For the first time, his mind considered the possibility that Reid wasn't as strong as he'd always given him credit for, especially after his abduction. Gideon thought that Reid could handle anything life threw his way; thus far, he had, but everyone has their breaking point.

_Maybe that was his. Maybe Subhash was right and he is more vulnerable now than he used to be._

The thought terrified Gideon. He was simultaneously assaulted by worry and guilt-worry about Reid and his ability to cope, guilt over failing so miserably to protect and support him. Reid's abduction had been so painful for him that he tried to pretend it didn't happen, tried to pretend that Reid was the same as always. It wasn't until Reid came to him with the drugs that he was forced to deal with the issues he'd tried to avoid. He had helped Reid overcome his addiction, watched as he made a difficult recovery, and supported him so he wouldn't relapse. He thought that things were resolved, but now he questioned all that he had done over the past months. Seeing the terror in Reid's eyes earlier made him realize that he'd been clueless about Reid's continued struggle.

_If only I had paid more attention to him, if only I had noticed that he still has trouble, that he's still suffering…_

He interrupted his own train of thought by glancing back at the screen showing the empty chair and untied ropes. It was all too familiar, he realized, and certainly it was designed that way. Subhash fully intended to break them, and he employed any means necessary to do so. He was successful, just as he'd promised Gideon he would be. He suddenly appreciated that he had expected Reid to deal with much more than he should have had to handle. Now he'd seemingly broken under the pressure, and the guilt sat on Gideon like a lead weight.

_This is all my fault! I should have put an end to this myself instead of allowing my team members to suffer. I put my own pride and stubbornness ahead of the needs of my team. I don't deserve to be with them, to drag them down any longer. If we make it out of here…_

His thoughts were again disrupted, this time by the opening of the door. Subhash, Jamil, and Saidi entered the room with smug, satisfied smiles adorning their faces.

"Agent Gideon, I presume you saw the show earlier." It wasn't a question. Gideon glared at him in silent anger. Subhash didn't appear to notice his attitude. "As you are now aware, I am a man of my word. I know that you did not believe I would be successful, but now you know not to doubt my abilities and information. It is a shame that it took so much time and cost you one of your colleagues to learn this, but the fault for that lies entirely on you. Now, as I am a man of my word, I will adhere to my promise to allow you to leave now that my goal has been satisfied. Of course, I cannot let you leave the building until I know for sure that Doctor Reid will actually be of use to me, but for now Saidi and Jamil will accompany you to your new quarters. I have matters to attend to involving finding my brother, so I bid you farewell Agent Gideon."

Subhash ended his surprising monologue by abruptly turning and leaving before Gideon had a chance to respond. He looked to Jamil and Saidi warily, anxious to see what would happen now.

Neither man spoke as they untied Gideon, but the unsettling smirks never left their faces. Gideon found that sitting for so long made it difficult to keep his balance after being dragged to his feet. He swayed slightly, but Saidi and Jamil kept tight grips on his upper arms as they led him from the room. They went down the hallway to a room near the stairs. Gideon had seen it when he and Hotch walked the hall earlier, but the door had been closed then. He was pushed through the doorway to find a room slightly larger than the others, but completely empty of furniture or TV screens. The dim lighting, the covered window, and the silence were the same though. He observed all of those details in the seconds before the door closed behind him.

_Well this is an improvement! At least before I had a chair, but then again I was tied to it, so maybe this isn't so bad after all._

He paced the perimeter of the room, checking for anything of use or interest. Of course the room held nothing other than him-and the camera he assumed was watching from some invisible location. Defeated and confused, he sat down heavily in the corner of the room furthest from the room.

_I knew it was too good to be true. I knew there was no way he would let us out of here. I wonder how he plans to kill us. I hope it is quick and easy. The less trauma involved the better_.

His mind began to flash pictures of crime scenes and videos he had seen over the years. His well-trained brain recalled torture methods and killing rituals of various Middle Eastern countries.

_I wonder which ones he'll use._

He realized these were rather morbid thoughts, but at the moment he didn't see any reason for optimism. His mind ran through various escape options, but none stood a good chance for success. He wasn't sure he could leave his team behind anyway. Just as he was taking rather far-fetched leaps of imaginative ways to die, the door opened again. He decided not to react unless forced. He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of playing along.

His brilliant plan was instantly dashed away as he watched Saidi and Jamil carry Hotch into the room. His body showed no sign of life as they dumped him unceremoniously on the floor. They left without a word, and Gideon crossed the room as quickly as possible. He pulled Hotch to him and turned him carefully onto his back. He felt for a pulse, for breathing, for any small signal that he hadn't died. He was rewarded finally by a faint but steady pulse. He nearly collapsed in relief.

Then he frowned in confusion, wondering how Hotch could be alive. He examined the area around the wounds. After a careful study, he found that Jamil was skilled with knives-the cuts were deliberately designed to look worse than they actually were. They bled quickly, but also clotted quickly, as was evident by the fully dry blood covering Hotch. This torture method was purely for pain and for effect. The thought made him sick and angry.

Before he could decide on his next course of action, the door opened again and Garcia was pushed into the room. The door slammed loudly behind her, and she jumped slightly. The tear tracks on her face and her red eyes gave away that she'd been crying.

She walked over to Gideon, relieved to see someone she knew, and then stopped in horror as she saw Hotch.

"Oh my god! Is he OK? Oh god…"

"He's alive Garcia." Gideon spoke calmly to keep her from hysteria. "He'll be OK. Can you help me move him?"

"Sure." She nodded her head and sniffed a few times.

Together they moved Hotch over to the corner where Gideon had been sitting. He removed Hotch's jacket and placed it under his head for support. Garcia sat next to him and rubbed his icy cold fingers in her hands to try and restore the circulation. Neither spoke; the silence in the air was heavy and anxiety-filled.

After what felt like endless minutes, Garcia broke the quiet with a soft, fearful question.

"Have you seen anyone else?"

"No." Gideon wished he had better news to comfort her with. "But I'm sure they'll be alright."

_Ok so I lied; big deal. I don't see the point in upsetting her more, and we're probably going to die anyway. I might as well give her whatever I can._

"I don't believe you. They are going to kill us all." Her words held no accusation or anger. They were just the simple acceptance of fact.

He gave her a small, understanding smile. "Yes, they are."

She nodded again, and wiped her eyes. They sat again in anxious silence. Finally the door opened again, and Jamil dragged the unconscious JJ into the room. Garcia went over and brought her to the corner. She sat with JJ's head supported in her lap and gently stroked her hair. After a few moments she noticed Gideon watching her. She gave him a small, sad smile.

"What happened?"

She let out a sigh and leaned against the wall. She told him the whole story, starting with the drinks at the bar. By the time she finished, her eyes were filled with tears again and her voice was shaking slightly. Gideon reached over and placed a hand on her arm.

"It's not your fault, you know. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know. I just felt so helpless. I didn't know what to do, and then he was yelling at me. They were hitting JJ… and…choking her. I was so scared!"

"I know. It's OK, though. You had every reason to be worried, and scared. This has been difficult for all of us."

"I know." She sniffed again and then looked down at JJ and Hotch. "Do you think they will make it?"

"If we can get Aaron hydrated soon I think he'll pull through. It looks worse than it is. I don't know what they gave JJ, so it's impossible to know how she's reacted to it or what it's done. I guess we'll just have to watch her and see."

Garcia nodded tearfully and continued to run her fingers through JJ's hair absently. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the door open again. It wasn't until Gideon stood and crossed the room that she looked up to see Morgan stumble in. He grabbed the wall, but he was still unsteady on his feet. Gideon reached him and supported him over to the corner to sit near Hotch. He looked at the large gash on Morgan's head. Garcia met Gideon's eyes, and his concerned expression worried her.

"Hey sugar, how are you feeling?" She tried to keep her tone light as usual, but the shakiness was still apparent.

He gave her a half-smile and put a hand to his forehead. "Not bad, goddess, but I've been better."

"You probably have a concussion," Gideon's voice was calm but the seriousness wasn't lost on the others.

"Yeah, probably. I guess getting smacked around didn't help."

"What happened hot stuff?"

"I got run off the road. I banged my head on the steering wheel, and when I got out to see what happened, someone attacked me. I'm thinking it was the big guy that brought me in here."

"I think that's Saidi." Gideon gently slid Morgan back so he was leaning against the wall. "I've seen him a few times already."

"So what is going on here Gideon?" Morgan's voice was both confused and angry.

"You mean you don't know anything?" Gideon was surprised to hear that. Subhash had led him to believe that everyone knew what was happening.

"No. I was brought here unconscious after the 'accident'. The guy in the suit came in; I was pretty upset. I started yelling, he yelled back, and then he brought in the goons. We scrapped a little, then I was out again. I woke up just a few minutes before they brought me here. I haven't seen anyone else until now…" suddenly he sat up and turned to Gideon with huge worried eyes. "I was on the way to find Reid. I got a phone call and directions, and then I was attacked. I never reached where I was told to go. Do you know where he is? Is he ok?"

When Morgan paused for a breath he saw the pain and guilt flicker across Gideon's face. "Oh god. What happened?"

Gideon looked away and took a deep breath, buying himself time to figure out how to explain this gently. "He's here…"

"Where? Is he hurt?" Morgan's insistent voice interrupted Gideon.

"Let me tell you the whole story so you can understand." He looked at Morgan for confirmation that his words were comprehended. Morgan nodded, and leaned back against the wall again. He didn't interrupt Gideon's story, but his angry expression spoke volumes. When Gideon reached the part about Reid agreeing to help, Morgan groaned and held his head in his hands. He felt like crying when Gideon described watching Reid suffer his flashbacks, watching Jamil hold the knife to Reid's throat, and watching Reid get knocked unconscious. Though Gideon spoke in a calm, emotionless tone, Morgan could hear the anguish and guilt in his voice.

"Oh man, Reid! Why did you do that? They're just going to kill us anyway." Morgan spoke from behind his hands.

Garcia and Gideon looked at each other in shock. Even though they knew this already, hearing Morgan say it only made the truth more horrifyingly real. No one knew what to say in reply. The feeling of despair and helplessness filled the room.

The awkward silence stretched on as each team member relived their experiences and pondered their fates.

The loud clicking of the lock sounded like a gunshot in the quiet room. Garcia, Gideon, and Morgan all quickly turned toward the door, anxious to see what was coming next. Emily was half-pushed, half-thrown through the doorway. She was shocked to see her team members staring at her in surprise. She instantly felt self-conscious and anxious, not knowing how they'd react to her now that she had failed them. She stared at the floor, not wanting to see their disappointed expressions.

"Em!" Garcia carefully set JJ down and hurried over to Emily. She pulled her into a hug that Emily hesitantly returned. Gideon and Morgan exchanged concerned glances. This uncertainty was not a trait Emily usually showed. Both minds raced with unpleasant possibilities of what could have caused this change.

Garcia didn't seem to notice as she led Emily over to the other. Emily glanced down and gasped at the sight of JJ and Hotch. She ran over and knelt down next to Hotch.

"Oh god, is he dead? He said he was dead!" She felt for a pulse, checked Hotch's wounds, all the while speaking anxiously to anyone that was listening. Gideon gently reached over and grabbed her arms and pulled her away from Hotch.

"I think he'll be ok, Emily. Just leave him alone for now, and when we get out of here we can get him medical help."

"We're not getting out of here Gideon! He's not going to make it; I know it! We have to do something!" She was near hysterics now; her fragile control quickly dissolving with the stress and guilt she was feeling.

Gideon uncharacteristically gathered Emily into a tight hug. He wasn't sure what she'd gone through, but whatever it was obviously affected her deeply. He exchanged glances with the others, whose faces mirrored his distress and despair.

"Well, at least the feeling is unanimous," Morgan stated casually. Garcia, Gideon, and Emily turned to face him curiously. "We're screwed."

No one bothered to respond.

* * *

Gideon awoke with a start. He couldn't immediately identify what got his attention. His team members had fallen asleep one by one after endless hours spent in tense silence. Gideon had been the last to succumb to his exhaustion.

Now he stretched and looked around the small room. Nothing seemed to have changed. His colleagues were curled up around the room; he noticed with a slight grin that none were far away from the other. They obviously needed the comfort of being close.

A small noise next to him grabbed his attention, and he realized this is what had awoken him to begin with. Hotch was stirring a little, and making quiet moaning sounds in his sleep. He felt oddly relieved at this; at least these were positive signs of recovery. He watched Hotch sleep for a few minutes, and then he decided to try and wake him up. He gently shook Hotch's good shoulder and patted his cheek a couple of time.

"Aaron." He spoke softly but firmly. "Aaron wake up. I need to know if you're alright."

A soft moan, a flutter of eyelids were his responses. He tried a little harder. Finally Hotch's eyes lifted open halfway.

"That's good, Aaron. Come on, wake up!" He kept his voice welcoming and friendly. A deep sigh, a whimper of pain, and Hotch's eyes opened fully. He looked at Gideon with pain and confusion evident.

"Jason?" His voice was soft and raspy.

"Yeah, Aaron, it's me."

Hotch grimaced with pain; he closed his eyes briefly, and then opened them again and looked at Gideon.

"What happened, Jason?"

He gave a small smile. "I think you've missed a lot Aaron. But you're hurt right now, you should rest. I can explain everything later."

Aaron nodded slightly and closed his eyes again. Then they flew open as he tried to sit up quickly. "Morgan? Where's Morgan?" He looked around the room frantically.

Gideon pushed him back down. "He's here Hotch. He's ok. Calm down."

Hotch relaxed slightly, and after a few minutes, he fell back into a deep sleep.

Gideon sighed and leaned back against the wall. He felt exhausted and sick with worry. He almost wished Subhash and company would kill them already and get it over with, but he needed to know what happened to Spencer first. The anxiety and constant fear were wearing on him immensely. He glanced around at his team members, reassuring himself that they-at least- were all relatively unharmed. He watched them sleep until he drifted off again himself.

The sound of heavy gunfire jolted him from sleep.

He looked around the room in panic, meeting several pairs of frightened eyes but seeing no source for the noise. He jumped up and ran toward the door, listening for clues as to what was happening.

Loud shouts of surprise commanding voices yelling orders rang out, but all the words were indistinct.

More gunfire. Pounding of feet running up or down stairs. Banging of doors. More shouting.

The chaos continued for what seemed like hours. Gideon, Garcia, Morgan, and Emily huddled near the door as they tried to figure out if this was good or bad.

Just as abruptly as the commotion outside had started, it was over. The silence echoed through the room. The team members eyed each other warily. As the quiet dragged on, they gave up their watch and returned to the corner they'd all been in before. No one wanted to speak as they were unsure what the current events meant.

Suddenly the door to the room flew open. Garcia let out a surprised scream, and the others jumped to their feet in shock. They found themselves staring down the barrels of a half-dozen guns held by SWAT team members.

They instantly threw their hands in the air.

"Federal Agents!" Gideon yelled. "Don't shoot!"

The officer in charge stepped forward.

"Is there anyone other than your team in here?"

"No," Gideon answered. "I'm Agent Gideon. These are Agents Morgan, Jareau, Prentiss, Hotchner, and Garcia."

"Ok." He motioned for his crew to lower their weapons. "I'm Officer Rosen. We knew that you were here. We've been searching for you. But now we need to get all of you out of here. Who's hurt?"

Gideon pointed to Hotch and JJ in the corner. "They're the worst off. He might have a concussion," he indicated Morgan as he spoke.

"Ok Agent Gideon, I need you to go with Officer Jimenez," he motioned for the officer to step forward. "Connors get Agent Jareau. Marshall and Myers get Agent Hotchner. Are you harmed Agent Prentiss?"

She nodded blankly at him. "Ok, then please go with Officer Henderson. Ms. Garcia, can you go with Officer LeBeau?" She nodded also. "Agent Morgan, you are with me. Is everyone ready?"

They all nodded in response, still slightly in shock from the past few minutes. They allowed their assigned officers to lead them from the room and down the hall. As they began to descend the stairs, Gideon turned to Officer Rosen.

"Is Agent Reid already downstairs?"

"Who?"

"Agent Reid, our other team member. He was separated from us earlier, and we haven't heard from him since. Is he already downstairs?"

Agent Rosen paused and stared at Gideon. He exchanged concerned glances with the other officers on his crew.

"What is it," Gideon asked? The bad feeling in his stomach returned with a vengeance.

Agent Rosen took a deep breath and looked Gideon in the eye. "I'm not sure how to say this, Agent Gideon, but we haven't found your agent."

"What?" Gideon yelled, catching the attention of his team members, who all stopped and listened.

"I mean that we've already cleared the building, and we didn't find your agent. Everyone other than yourselves has either been arrested or was killed in the crossfire.


	13. End Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some answers, some more questions.

"Come on, let's get you out of here," Officer Jimenez said firmly as he grabbed Gideon's arm and pulled him down the stairs. Gideon was too stunned and horrified by what he'd just heard to resist. When the group reached the front door, he was surprised to realize that it was already early evening. They'd all been held captive for at least 36 hours; Reid had been there longer, but none of them knew how long for certain.

The SWAT team barely broke stride as they wove through the commotion outside, leading the BAU team towards the ambulances. Once there Gideon turned to Officer Rosen with worry in his eyes.

"We need to find Agent Reid. Are you certain there no one escaped before you got here, or that they aren't still inside?"

"Yes sir, we've searched the entire building. We have the floor plans and there are only two outside exits, both of which were covered before we moved in, and there aren't any hidden exits that we could find. According to our information and what we've gotten out of them so far," he indicated the three dozen or so suspected terrorists scattered across the parking lot, "everyone that was here is still here, except for your Agent Reid."

"How is that possible?" Morgan spoke up from the back of the ambulance he was sitting in while getting his injuries examined. "If everyone is here then Reid must be here somewhere too."

Officer Rosen looked warily at Morgan, and then he glanced at Emily and Garcia-who were sitting next to Morgan-before he met Gideon's eyes. He spoke hesitantly.

"Well, we're still running IDs and prints on some computer techs…and we have to…um…ID the fatalities still…"

His voice trailed off, leaving the unspoken though weighing heavily in the air. The conscious team members exchanged terrified looks.

Gideon spoke softly, not even wanting to think about what his words would imply. "I can help you look."

"Are you sure you want to do that," Officer Rosen asked uneasily? He hated the idea of having to identify one of your own team members.

"Absolutely," Gideon replied with more confidence than he actually felt. In reality, potentially identifying Reid's dead body was high on the list of things he never wanted to do in his life.

"Okay," Officer Rosen said, "but first you must get cleared by the medics. Jimenez will stay here until you are checked out, and then he'll get you started. I've got to make sure things are going smoothly. Jimenez can radio me if necessary."

"Thanks," Gideon replied as he joined Morgan, Garcia, and Emily in the ambulance. While he was being examined, a medic came over to the door.

"Hi." The young medic was friendly but slightly unnerved at dealing with FBI agents and SWAT teams. "I've been helping with your friends over there," he indicated the ambulance with JJ and Hotch, "and we're going to go ahead and take them to the hospital." He continued speaking quickly when he received panicked looks. "They should be just fine; we just want to get them proper treatment sooner rather than later. You will be able to see them once you're cleared here."

The team members all nodded in relief. At least they only had to worry about one person for the moment.

Finally Gideon, Emily, and Garcia were declared fit and released from the care of the medics. They wanted to take Morgan to the hospital for observation to be safe, but he refused to go until they figured out what happened to Reid. He settled for remaining in the ambulance with Garcia keeping him company while Emily and Gideon searched for Reid.

Officer Jimenez led them through the mass of FBI agents, officers, crime scene investigators, medics, technicians, and other people that filled the parking lot surrounding the old building. It seemed like chaos, but they knew that everything was under careful control and following strict procedure. They reached an area that was less crowded, and both breathed a sigh of relief until they realized why no one was around.

The ground was littered with nearly a dozen body bags.

Officer Jimenez noticed the expressions on their faces. "You might as well start here," he said sympathetically. "Then hopefully you can move on…" he didn't really know what else to say.

Both Gideon and Emily nodded silently. Neither gave an indication that they were going to move.

"Would you like me to do it?" Officer Jimenez looked at them sadly, secretly hoping he wouldn't be the bearer of heartbreaking news.

"Please." Emily's voice was quiet but firm. Officer Jimenez nodded and approached the nearest bag. He unzipped the top slowly, watching them carefully as he did. He pulled back enough of the plastic to reveal the face. He released his breath when he saw the relief on their faces. He met their eyes and they simultaneously shook their heads. He zipped the bag up and moved to the next.

By the time they got to the last bag, Emily didn't know whether to scream in frustration or collapse to the ground in exhaustion. The agony of not knowing who they'd find in each bag, the terror when it briefly appeared to be Reid in two of the bags, and the incredible relief when they realized it wasn't him. The volatile roller coaster of emotion was almost too much to take, especially on top of the weekend's events. She closed her eyes as the bag was opened; it took all of her willpower to open them again and glance at the figure inside.

_It's not him! Oh thank god! None of these are him-that means he's still alive!_

She turned to face Gideon and though his expression mirrored her own feelings. Their brief euphoria ended with a sudden awareness that they still didn't know where Reid was. Both looked at Officer Jimenez to see where to go from here.

"Follow me," he said with a much happier tone than he'd previously used. The knowledge that he could lead them to a living team member instead of a dead one greatly improved his mood.

The trio maneuvered through the crowd again, stopping occasionally as Officer Jimenez pointed to squad cars with handcuffed suspects sitting in the backseat awaiting identification. The light was dimming as the afternoon grew later and the sun set further.

After checking a handful of cars, Officer Jimenez could see the tension and frustration building in the FBI agents he was guiding. He decided to take them back to the others for a few moments to regroup. He noted with chagrin the anxious, hopeful looks on the faces of Agents Morgan and Garcia. He fervently wished they had better news to give.

"Well," Morgan demanded as soon as the group was in earshot?

Gideon shook his head at the same time that Emily said "Nothing so far." Morgan let out a growl of anger while a single tear escaped Garcia's well-used tear ducts.

Officer Jimenez stepped forward, eager to share the only comforting information they had for now. "We searched the fatalities and some of the suspects. We have some more to check but…" he trailed off as there wasn't much more to say.

"Well that's something at least," Garcia muttered softly.

"We're going to get back to it," Gideon chimed in. "We just wanted to give you an update."

"I'm coming with you this time," Morgan stated as he slid out the back of the ambulance.

"I don't think you should…" Garcia started to say as she followed him out.

"I'll be careful Sugar mama; I just want to find Reid and get away from this place."

She nodded and took his hand. "Then I'm coming too. We're in this together."Gideon and Emily nodded their approval, and all four turned to Officer Jimenez to lead them.

Ten minutes of searching led to nothing. Morgan could barely restrain himself from hitting something or someone.

Five more minutes and four squad cars later, Emily could barely restrain herself from hitting Morgan just to shut him up.

Three more minutes and two cars later, Garcia pointed to her left, poked Morgan in the ribs, and called out, "hey guys, over there!"

Simultaneously, four pairs of eyes followed her finger. Relief covered each face as they rested on a familiar figure sitting handcuffed on the backseat of a police car.

The team members managed to keep themselves from running at a full sprint, but it was mostly due to deeply ingrained professionalism. They slowed slightly as they approached the car, but the grins of happiness didn't leave their faces. Reid looked up at the sound of their footsteps. He didn't seem especially thrilled to see them.

"Hey man," Morgan called cheerily. Reid merely tipped his head in response. That movement caused Morgan to notice the large, stitched-up gash on his cheek and the ugly, dark bruise on his temple. "What the hell happened," he yelled as he rushed forward? He was stopped by a police officer stepping in front of him.

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't come any further."

"Why not?" He bellowed as he tried to push past the officer.

"This man is a suspect in terrorist activities. We are still awaiting identification." Officer Johns spoke firmly but kindly.

"Terrorist activities!" Garcia cried as she joined Morgan. "He's not a terrorist, he's a federal agent!"

"Federal agent," Officer Johns repeated skeptically?

"Yes," Gideon supplied from behind Garcia. "He's Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI. He's our missing team member that we've spent the last **hour** looking for."

Officer Johns stared at Gideon for a moment; he glanced at Reid, and then met the eyes of each team member, looking for any sign that they were joking. They didn't appear to be. But still, he had strict orders to follow.

"I'm sorry, but until we have a confirmed ID I can't release him, not even to the FBI." Officer Johns put emphasis on his words to be sure he was understood clearly.

"But…" Morgan started. Gideon cut him off.

"I understand that Officer. You have a job to do, and we respect that. Couldn't you just uncuff him though? "

"I'm sorry, but I just can't do that." Officer Johns did look sympathetic.

"Why not?" Morgan barked at the same time that Garcia begged, "Please?"

"Guys," Reid's voice stopped the argument that was about to erupt. "It's fine, I can wait."

Officer Johns looked at him appreciatively. An idea occurred to him, and he turned back to Gideon. "Do you have your badge sir?"

"No," Gideon stated reluctantly. "They took all of our identification."

"Oh." Officer Johns looked deflated for a moment, and then a smile crossed his face as a realization dawned on him. He caught Officer Jimenez's attention and called him over. "Can you stay here and watch him for a moment?"

"Sure," Officer Jimenez replied. Officer Johns hurried off.

"Reid, are you ok?" Gideon's concerned voice drew Reid's attention to him.

He nodded silently and returned his gaze to the ground beside his feet.

The team members exchanged concerned glances.

"What happened to your face sweetie?"

Reid looked up at Garcia briefly before looking away. "The SWAT guys are pretty jumpy," was his distant reply. Before the team members could process the strange statement, Officer Johns rushed over to them holding an evidence bag aloft. Excitement was apparent on his face.

"I found it!" When he stopped near Reid he showed them what he had-Reid's badge and ID. "I'm going to call in your number just to follow procedure, but you'll be free to leave in just a moment." He turned to Officer Jimenez. "You can go ahead and uncuff him." He reached in the driver's door of the car to radio in Reid's badge number. Officer Jimenez unlocked the cuffs, and Reid rubbed his hands on his wrists absently. They all stood in silence until Officer Johns rejoined them.

"I'm so sorry about the misunderstanding, Agent Reid. I believe the medics have cleared you." Reid nodded in response. "Then you are free to go."

"Thank you," Reid replied as he stood up from the car. He faced his team members silently for a moment before asking, "Where are the others?"

"They've already gone to the hospital. We were waiting for you to go see them," Emily replied with as much cheer as she could muster.

"Ok, then, let's go," he mumbled and started walking away. The team members exchanged one final concerned look before following him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene with searching the body bags is what inspired this entire story. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.


	14. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is still with me, and especially those who encouraged and motivated (and prodded, and nagged, and bugged-you know who you are!) me to get this done. I hope you enjoy this final chapter.

The ticking of the clock echoed loudly in the otherwise silent room. Occasionally the shuffling of feet or the clearing of throats broke the monotony, but mostly the eight people gathered were deathly quiet. Dr. Malachi Benson surveyed his patients with practiced eyes, searching for clues to the inner turmoil they obviously suffered. Despite having spent last night and the morning resting from their ordeal, all of the team members were apparently exhausted. They were cleared by the doctors to leave, but the Bureau required a counseling session before they could be released. This group of highly trained agents wouldn't be easy to reach despite the trauma they endured only one day previous. The vast differences between them made it difficult for him to properly access their needs. The only thing he knew was that they had to cope with their issues as a group.

"Does anyone have anything to say about the video?" His deep voice shattered the agonizing silence and seven pairs of eyes jumped from various places in the small room to meet his gentle gaze. _If I can just get one of them to crack, I think the others will be easier. The video footage taken from their captivity should help._ It occurred to him that he was using the same techniques on them that the terrorists did-using their weaknesses and feelings for each other against them. _But I'm trying to help them cope, not hurt them._ He studied each set, analyzing which patient would be the best target for his first attack. He evaluated their haunted expressions, his training deducting ways to exploit any weakness he found. He settled on a suitable victim.

"Emily." She jumped in surprise at hearing her name, and then anxiety covered her features when she realized he wanted her to talk. "Can you share your thoughts with the group please?"

She stared at him for a long moment, then her eyes shifted back to the arm of the couch next to her. "I don't have anything to say," she replied softly. The tears filling her eyes spoke otherwise. Dr. Benson let out a small sigh as he realized how much work was in front of him. He glanced around the room again, and then he went back to his chosen victim. He knew Emily from previous psych evaluations, so he felt he stood the best chance with her.

"May I ask why you are so upset then?" he hoped his voice was soothing and inviting. Her tear-filled eyes met his again. "Emily," he began, but he could practically see the floodgates opening as sudden, quiet sobs shook her.

"I…I just feel so …useless!" The sudden outburst between gasping breaths surprised the entire group. All of the team members looked at her, while Dr. Benson felt barely disturbed by the statement.

"Why is that Emily?" He tried to keep his voice encouraging.

"Because, I was supposed to help…and I…did nothing! I just sat there and did nothing while everyone was counting on me!"

_Well, this is a good start._ "Who was counting on you?"

She finally looked up, and glanced around the room briefly before settling her gaze on him again. "They were. I was supposed to help them and I failed."

"What could you have done?"

"I could have…." Her angry statement stopped as soon as it started. She seemed completely thrown by not having the answer to his question. "I should have…"

"What?"

"I don't know," she reluctantly admitted. "I guess…well I should have come up with something!"

"There isn't anything you could have done."

The sound of a different voice prevented him from responding to Emily's statement. He turned in the direction it came from to see Hotch looking at her intently with tiny tears glistening in his eyes. He debated for a moment whether to speak or to watch and see how things play out. Before he decided, his patients took control of the session without his interference.

"What do you mean?" Emily seemed genuinely taken aback by Hotch's words. _This could be very good. I know none of them have spoken about what happened yet. Maybe they will open up to each other even more than they would to me._

"I mean exactly that. You couldn't have done anything to make the situation better neither did you make it worse. It was what it was and your actions didn't cause it." Hotch's firm tone surprised even Dr. Benson. _I wonder if he'll l accept that same logic when it is applied to him?_

"But…"

"No but, Emily," Gideon interrupted her. "You hold no blame for any of this. You refused to give in to pressure, and that is all any of us expected of you. Period."

"He's right, Emily," Morgan's deep voice interrupted.

"How do you know?" Her tone was harsher he was used to hearing from her, even during emotionally charged psych evaluations. 

"I know, because I've spent most of the last 72 hours replaying every action that I made, every word that I said. I've second-guessed all my decisions and evaluated every scenario to see if anything I did, or didn't do, would have changed the outcome of what happened to us…" Morgan paused to catch a breath, but he didn't continue immediately.

"And?" Emily prompted when he took too long to resume his story.

"I got nothing. Nada. Zilch. There isn't a damn thing I could, or would do differently to affect the outcome."

"But you could have been killed!" Garcia interjected as she turned to face him.

"That's true, but at the time I did what I thought I had to. I thought that Reid was in trouble," Morgan's eyes wandered over to Spencer, who was sitting as far away from the group as he could get in the small hospital waiting room, "so I did what I was told to try and keep him safe. Maybe I acted rashly but I didn't really have a choice, and I'd do it again-even knowing what I know now."

"I wish I could say the same," Garia spoke sadly next to him. Her eyes shifted to the ugly patterned carpet instead of meeting the questioning looks from her team members.

"What do you mean, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked as JJ and Emily simultaneously yelled "What?"

"I could have done so many things differently. I should have paid more attention to our surroundings in the parking lot…I should have fought back! Something, anything! I…"

"Garcia stop," JJ commanded firmly. "What happened was much more my fault than it was your's."

"How do you figure?" She asked as she wiped away a few stray tears from her eyes.

"Because, I took the drink, even after warning you not to. I let my guard down and put myself in a situation where I couldn't defend either of us. It was stupid, and reckless, and…"

"Completely unavoidable," Hotch interceded. "None of you," he looked at each team member as he spoke, "could have done anything to prevent what happened. This was well-planned and well-executed, and one way or another this would have happened. Morgan, you thought Reid was in trouble. It turns out that he was, so you acted on accurate information. The outcome was less than desirable but there was no way you could know that before hand. Emily, JJ, Garcia, Reid, you were all ambushed, caught off guard. You had no reason to suspect an attack. None of you are to blame."

"If anyone is at fault here, it is myself, and by extension Hotch." Gideon's calm voice stated quietly as he glanced to Hotch for confirmation. "I called him. We knew there was a trap, and we willing walked into it with no back-up, no escape plan, and no idea what we were doing. If we had played this smarter we might have ended this whole saga before it got too far along."

"But regardless of what happened," Hotch continued, "we have a responsibility to lead and protect this team, and under the circumstances we made the best possible decision. We have to accept that, and try to move forward from here."

A few tiny smiles appeared. Dr. Benson could almost see the weight lift from a few shoulders. It amazed him that just a few reassuring words could make such a difference to the team's mental well-being. _Not that any of them are recovered, but this will get them on the way._

A nearly inaudible mumble startled Dr. Benson away from his thoughts. He scanned the room for a clue as to who had spoken; all eyes appeared to be on Reid.

"Did you say something, Spencer?" He couldn't help but be hopeful that Spencer would speak without being prompted.

"No," came the subdued reply. Dr. Benson raised his eyebrow in question, but Spencer wasn't even looking his direction; he appeared to be examining the pattern in the wallpaper next to him. Dr. Benson decided that forceful action would be required to get Spencer talking.

"Spencer. Why don't you tell me why you feel so guilty about your part in the events over the weekend?" He felt slightly amused at the shocked, disgruntled expressions that followed his question. Spencer's head jerked up and pained hazel eyes met his briefly. Just as suddenly, Spencer looked away.

"I don't know what you are talking about." The reply was terse and unusual for the Spencer he knew. _That's a good sign; it means I'm getting to the issue-slowly._

"I think you do Spencer. I am trained to determine when someone is carrying around guilt. I'm not saying you don't deserve it, but I want to know why you have it." He waved a hand to silence the irate protests forming around him. The ploy worked as Spencer uncurled from his seat and turned a furious glare on him. He found it hard to suppress a satisfied smirk as he knew he'd hit the mark and the issues would hopefully surface.

"Why do I have guilt? Why do you think I have guilt? It should be pretty damn obvious to you Dr. Benson."

"There are many possible reasons Spencer, some of which have been addressed already this afternoon. But your particular reason is yet to be told."

"Well how would you feel if you gave up classified information to terrorists so they could use it to invade a government institution and release a federal prisoner possibly involved in planning an attack on our country?" He'd risen from his seat while talking, and his volume increase as he stood.

"Well, I imagine I'd feel pretty guilty…"

"Yeah? Well, I don't have to imagine because I know how it feels!"

"But you didn't actually give up anything Spencer."

"But I was willing to. When I agreed to help I didn't have a plan. I had no idea what I was doing except that I needed to prevent what was about to happen."

"And what was that?" 

"You already heard Garcia's story about them coming in with the knife. I had to stop them and I did so by doing exactly what they were trying to get me to do in the first place. I gave in. I yielded, surrendered, capitulated, whatever you want to call it. I cracked, just as planned. They knew I was the weakest link and they played against that, and against my past experiences to get me to cooperate."

"It doesn't seem that you had much choice Spencer…"

"I did have a choice! I made a choice. Did you see anyone else agree to help? JJ could have died, Hotch, Morgan, and Emily were injured. Did any of them agree to help? No, just me."

"But Sweetie, you were just trying to help me. You can't blame yourself for that," Garcia interrupted his vocal argument.

"Yeah man, I mean you were the only one of us that even attempted anything. If it had up to me we'd probably all still be there," Morgan interceded.

"Regardless of all of that, I no longer trust myself to maintain confidentiality and I want to make sure that I'm not in a situation where I have access to information that others might try to get a hold of."

"What are you saying Reid?" Gideon's concerned voice broke in.

"I'm saying that I can't do this anymore. I can't be vulnerable anymore. I can't be trusted anymore." He turned to face Hotch directly, "I'm tendering my resignation, effective as soon as I've finalized all outstanding work."

Dr. Benson felt the waves of shock from the group slam into him like a physical force. He took in the faces around him displaying various levels of surprise and sadness. The voices clamoring in the small room made it difficult for him to pick out the actual words. After a few moments he regained control of the group so Spencer could finish what he was saying. Spencer didn't actually get to speak though.

"Reid, do you really mean that?" Hotch's voice held both confusion and worry.

"Yes, I do Hotch."

"Then I don't accept."

"You what?" The look of surprise on Spencer's face almost brought a chuckle from Dr. Benson.

"I don't accept your resignation; at least, I don't accept until you've had some time to process everything that happened and make a rational decision."

"I've made my decision Hotch."

"But you aren't thinking clearly. It's been less than 24 hours since you, and all of your team members, were held hostage by terrorists. You haven't even been home from the hospital yet. You can't make this decision now and I won't even consider it until know that it is what you really want."

"You can't do that to me," he said, but his voice was quiet and plaintive now, all of his anger having burned out.

Hotch stood and approached Reid in the center of the room. He put a hand on each of Spencer's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. Even from his position Dr. Benson could see tears glimmering in Spencer's eyes. _I think they've finally reached him. He just needs a bit more time and reassurance and I think he'll recover nicely…_

The reassurance came unexpectedly as Hotch did something entirely uncharacteristic. He pulled Spencer close into a tight hug. Dr. Benson couldn't hide the small laugh as Spencer gasped in surprised and the team members nearly fell out of their seats. After a moment Hotch stepped back and gave Spencer a tiny smile. Then the floodgates broke open as silent tears ran shiny streams down Spencer's face.

"Oh sweetie!" Garcia pushed past Hotch and wrapped Spencer in a bear hug as he sobbed into her shoulder. She stroked his hair and whispered softly until he calmed down and pulled away and wiped his eyes.

"Sorry Garcia," he said as he looked at the wet spot on her shirt.

"No problem honey. It's the least I can do for our heroic genius."

"Heroic? I'm anything but heroic."

"Really Spencer?" Dr. Benson interjected with a slightly teasing tone. "Why don't you tell them how SWAT found out where you were?"

"What?" Morgan sat up straighter in his chair. 'You called them?"

"Why don't you tell them the story Spencer?"

He nodded and curled up in his chair again. He sat quietly for a moment before he began. "Like I said earlier, I didn't have a plan when I agreed to help. I just hoped that I could stall or fake it long enough to come up with something. They weren't going to let me use the computer myself, so I made up a story about the security level being on a rotating password and needing to track the pattern of numbers to figure out which is being used. I made it sound complex and finally they agreed to let me do it instead of one of the technicians. I figured out the password right away, but I fooled around for a while, pretended like I was having trouble. I didn't want to take too long because they'd figure it out. So I signed on and started looking around. I was stalling for time until I finally came up with an idea."

He paused for so long that Dr. Benson prodded him a little. "What was your idea Spencer?"

"I, um, I remembered Garcia showing me how the inner-agency communications work. It's used to send information over a secure Internet line. I tapped into it and sent a message to the local PD. I told them who was here and had them contact the Bureau as well. I made sure they could track the location."

"Oh sweetie that's brilliant!" Garcia's face showed pride and surprise. Spencer blushed a bit at her praise, and Dr. Benson knew that telling them the story would help him, and them, tremendously.

"So what happened when SWAT came in?" Gideon asked curiously.

"It was chaos. They were caught completely off-guard. There was a gun on the table nearby me, and the SWAT team thought I was one of the technicians. I tried to explain, but of course they didn't believe me." He paused and let out a small chuckle. "They thought I was trying to "resist arrest", hence the bruises." He indicated his face as he spoke.

"Wow, so you really are our hero!" Emily said partly in jest and part in awe.

"Not really," he replied modestly. "I just did what I had to do. Anyone would have done the same if given the opportunity."

"Not necessarily, Reid. None of us came up with the idea," JJ supplied

"Yeah, well," he said as he studied his feet.

"Ok everyone," Dr. Benson called their attention to him. "I think that we've made wonderful progress today. I'll sign off on all of your release papers so you can go home, and I want to schedule another session next week when you all get back from your time off."

He felt satisfied to see relieved, happy smiles fill the room. Various calls of "Thank you, Dr. Benson" met his ears as they gathered their things in preparation for leaving the hospital. A smile graced his lips as he watched them exchange hugs and pats on the back and soft words about what to do during their enforced vacation. The atmosphere was completely different than it had been nearly two and a half hours earlier-the group was relaxed, less burdened, and ready to continue their lives and jobs. He could only imagine that their bond as a team would grow from the shared experience, and he eagerly anticipated what the next session would reveal.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the short set-up chapter. This fic is complete so I'll be updating quickly.


End file.
